Satyam appoints new Aussie chief

Satyam has announced the appointment of a new country
manager for Satyam Australia and New Zealand.

New ANZ chief Venki Prathivadi has been with Satyam since 2003.
His last role was that of a delivery director for a "leading
Australian telecommunications provider", according to the
company.

Having presided in Australia for 18 years, he has also
held consulting roles in SAP Australia and EDS Australia.

Prathivadi told ZDNet.com.au that the company would
now look to putting more value into its engagement with customers,
drawing on the skills of new owner Tech Mahindra.

He said that the company had been quiet for the last few months
following the scandal in which chairman Ramalinga Raju
admitted he had been doctoring the firm's accounts, inventing revenues that didn't exist.
The company would reward the customers that stood by it in its difficult
time, he said.

The company would also look to put its best face forward to the media.
"We've had a bit of bad press," Prathvadi admitted, something he was
determined to change.

The appointment confirmed the
news last week that former managing director Deepak Nangia had left the company. According to
Satyam, he left for personal reasons.

T. R. Anand, Satyam director, senior VP and head of the Asia-Pacific region said
that companies survived outside individuals. He said the scandal had meant that some
had wanted to leave. "I don't blame them for that," he said.

There has been some concern with Satyam's problems that the $75 million
complex at Geelong, set to provide jobs for up to 2000 graduates,
would be canned.

Prathvadi said that a new Satyam board had been appointed and that it
would be considering the investment, something that could take two months.

The scandal has already had implications for the company's Australian
business as National Australia Bank decided to suspend the outsourcing of any further work to the Indian company. Prathvadi wouldn't comment on
the contract specifically, but said that "the relationship's going well".

The company also appointed Vijay Prasad as a principal
advisor to the Australia and New Zealand region today.

Vijay was one of the most senior executives at Satyam, according
to the company, having worked in the company's enterprise
applications and business intelligence practice group and held the
position of CIO.